The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-22

| plunged into the wild morasSes. l fear that
have not strongly enough expressed the utter
absolute solitude Of this wilderness. Once
! within its confines you move in watery, shad-
/ oWT maze complete II alone, absolutely isolated
I from your 1eliOW-IDan. No token is there that
/ any human being before you ever penetrated
/ these solemn depths; you leave no trace of
/ your journey behind you. You are alone.
! Soon l found that my informants had in no
/ wise exaggerated the horrors of that swamp.
| Instead Of the brilliant water with its gold
/ brown carpet Of leaves, there stretched vast
morasses of Shiny gray or black mud, scarce
concealed by hi9eous vegetation, with sinister
leaves and livid blooms Deep pools of muddy
water often crossed the trail, and once and
again Nita lost her feet and felt her SWIM
| ming under me. Rapidly the storm gathered,
and great gloom ana blackness filed the air.
The wind sobbed and moaned dismaly
through the twisted, sullen trees, the road
grew more and more obscure. and at last
halted, with horrible doubt growing fast into
l brought Mia to a halt and anXiously peered
INTO the growing darkness. The wind grew
fiercer and blew angrily, great pelting drops of
ram began to fall, the thunder muttered in
the distance, and Nita was trembling in every
limb, so pushed forward in what l judged to
be the right direction, cUrsing my folly at not
having taken the good cousel preferred me-
Nearer and nearer came the storm. Atlength
found myself on the brink of q pool larger,
Dlacker, more hIdoouS than any | had seen.
Low, struggling trees surrounded it, with gnarl-
ed roots high in the air, like writing water
serpents and lank boughs outstretclIed. After
moments hesitation Mia ventured in. Deep
sank her hoofs in the hideous mud, and the
black, foul water crept up her sides. Suddenly
there was a scream in the air, a wild rush of
the mad wind, an intense binding glare, the
awful report OF some huge trees near by strick-
en- by the fiery lightning Mia fairly shrieked
in her terror, plunged wildly, losing her foot
ing, and lung me from her back. | struck
against the limbs OF a low tree, and grasped it
lnatlnctiyely, and looked around quickly for
Mia. She was gone. / stood there in that
hldeous pool, trying to realize my position.
Then / thought l would work nv way to the
tree and climb into the branches and whistle
Mia to me when the fury OF the storm should
pass. " hat was my horror when | found my
feet firmly fixed in the Shiny, tenacious mud.
/ could throw my arms over the low bough /
held, and | did so, putting forth my every ex-
ertlon In vain endeavOr TO Tree myself. Mean
While the storm was raging in all its fury. The
wind hoWed and shIieked through the trees as
though a million demons were let loose the
thunder crashed increasingly, and the light
ming III awful flashes ever and anon lit uD the
darkness. The rain fell in torrents and
drenched me to the skin. I gave myself up for
lost unless the storm should soon pass, when,
II | could till then hold on, / might get Nita
back, and holding fast to her, be drawn from
the quagmire in which I stood. That might
husband my strength 1 succeeded after much
eiloTt ~ ioosenlng from my waist a broad
leather belt and passing it under nv arms
l9shed myself thereby to the limb to which 1
chung. The hours passed, and yet the storm
seemed but to increase in fury.
Suddenly realized that [ was sinking deeper
in the water, and yet that was impossible,
lashed as l was to the stout limb. Soon / UNI
derstood my awful. position. The water was
rising. The realization Of tho awful doom that
threatened me chilled my hearts blood. Cold
beads Of perspiration broke out upon my clam
my forehead, and [ shrieked aloud in agony.
Slowly could feel the water creeping upward.
trantcally I Struggled to free myself from the
cloSe-clinging mud that held my feet and
legs as in wise. Fortunately It was that
1 had dashed myself fast. for at length 1
lVust have tainted. How long lay or rather
hung, there unconscious / do not know,
but hours must have passed, for the
storm had ceased, great murlgy, ragged clouds
ter gasped in horror, it was at my breast,
and rising yisbiy now. The slow hours wore
by, and the sullen water crept ever up, greedy,
hidcous. And q stciid calm came over me,
and aIl unmmdful Of the growing light that
her&lded the birth of a new dav kent a dull
gaze upon the edge d the water as it crept
from thread to thread on my garments. 1t
reached ny neck, and before my stlained,
blood-shot eyes it quiyered and sione ike
Te5isI!ess sea u steel higher, higher and a
lark! hal was that2 And the water APP
breaches my lips! Another shreki And
an ansWer A horses z7hiuny-listen! eEole
on dar, boss, 1'so coniugn' i vision Of a
great negro on Nita's back, and again I lost
When I again awole I was in a comfortable
bed in DoS Arc weak from the long delirunl
and fever that followed that nil Int Of horror.
1T seems that Mia, once free oalloped back to
Cache river, there to meet the negro who had
afternoon. ThanE5 to Mas fidelity and the
negro s ilHoEl6Gge OF the sWamrs, I live today